Full Breakdown
Bell Media Rolls Out 2026/27 Slate Featuring Revivals of “Meatballs,” “The Littlest Hobo” and “Big Brother Canada”
6/4/2026, 9:53:43 PM
Core Announcement & Revivals
Bell Media announced on June 4 2026 a 2026/27 slate of 62 English-language and 56 French-language originals. Highlights include an eight-episode Crave adaptation of the 1979 film *Meatballs* starring Robbie G.K., a live-action remake of *The Littlest Hobo* produced by Point Grey Pictures with Lionsgate Canada, and a reboot of *Big Brother Canada* for CTV and Crave. New scripted comedies such as *Bulges* (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), *Salty* and *I Can’t Save You* also join the lineup. Production partners span Blink49 Studios, Incendo, Entourage and the Point Grey-Lionsgate joint venture. Executives highlighted the use of globally-known Canadian talent to raise the profile of Canadian content.
Timeline & Data
Key dates: 1979 – original *Meatballs* film; 1979-85 – original *The Littlest Hobo* series; 2013-2024 – *Big Brother Canada* aired 12 seasons; June 4 2026 – slate announcement; spring 2027 – production of the *Big Brother Canada* reboot begins. The *Meatballs* series follows 200 campers and 30 counselors; the reboot will be a 30-episode competition. Bell’s slate totals 118 new originals across both language markets.
Official Statements & Strategic Rationale
Justin Stockman said securing the *Meatballs* rights enables a modernised version that showcases globally-known Canadian talent and strengthens Canadian content abroad. He noted the *Big Brother Canada* reboot reuses an existing set to cut costs and that reality formats “kill it” on both streaming and linear platforms, delivering “more bang for our buck.” Seth Rogen called *The Littlest Hobo* a “foundational show of our childhood” and promised “big things” for a new generation while keeping the dog small. Carlyn Klebuc highlighted a “pipeline of talent” and plans for further development deals.
Verbatim Quotes
“Meatballs is one of those classic IPs that has been talked about but hard to nail down. I’m happy to say we’ve now nailed down the rights, and can bring it back and modernise it.” — Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media
“The Littlest Hobo was a foundational show of our childhood,” — Seth Rogen, Actor-Producer, Point Grey Pictures
“With ‘The Traitors,’ with ‘Love Island,’ like a lot of these competition reality series kill it on streaming.” — Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media
“sort of sexy, but also creepy” — Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Global Content, Bell Media (referring to *Yaga*)
Criticism, Opposition & Gaps
Corus, which produced the original *Big Brother Canada*, cited declining audience trends, reduced sponsor support and high production costs as reasons for the 2024 cancellation, raising doubts about the reboot’s financial viability. Bell has not disclosed a release schedule for *Yaga* or detailed international distribution plans for *Meatballs*.
Impact & Future Outlook
The slate positions Bell Media to leverage iconic Canadian IPs for global streaming while cutting costs through set reuse and co-production. Production on *Meatballs*, *The Littlest Hobo* and the *Big Brother Canada* reboot begins in late 2026, with releases slated for 2027 and beyond.
